Red tape, government approvals and a mountain of paperwork is leading to small businesses in Orange taking up to 18 months to open.
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Orange City Council deputy mayor Joanne McRae said the businesses needed help to cut the time and hassles that were constraining new businesses opening.
“Business owners starting a restaurant, cafe or bar may need to deal with up to 13 regulatory bodies spanning local, state and federal governments, comply with 75 regulations and complete up to 48 forms,” she said.
“This can take up to 18 months for submission and approval.”
Cr McRae is keen to introduce a free state government program, known as ‘Easy to do Business’ to Orange.
“The program aligns with the number one state government goal, to make it easier to start a business,” she said.
“The focus is on cafe, restaurant and small operations in the program being offered to Orange City Council.”
Cr McRae said programs in Melbourne and Sydney had seen the red-tape time slashed to just three weeks.
She said initial responses had been that the program did not go far enough.
“It needs to go further than bars and restaurants and cafes,” she said.
“It is pretty narrow in terms of the scope.”
She said the approval and red-tape time could be significantly speeded up where people were seeking to run a similar business to the one that had previously existed at the same premises.
Cr McRae said the former ProvVista pizza shop in Summer Street was an ideal example of something that should have a speedy turnaround for new owners looking to open a similar business on the site.
“That building still has the tables and chairs in it,” she said.